Doha, Qatar
Dennis brings the following, rather-incredible article to our attention. Hold back 5% of your energy in case this is disinformation. But if it isn’t, it’s rather remarkable. Sounds like NESARA-like energy wanting to be let loose.
Citizens want Kuwait-like govt bounty
The Peninusla, Tuesday, 18 January 2011 https://www.thepeninsulaqatar.com/qatar/139495-citizens-want-kuwait-like-govt-bounty.html
DOHA: Kuwait’s announcement yesterday to distribute free food for 14 months and $3,572 to every citizen has led to huge excitement in the Qatari community, with some saying they expect their government to follow suit.
The Kuwaiti news agency said the ruler has announced that free coupons for basic food items would be provided to each citizen from February 1 this year until March 31, 2012.
The beneficiaries would also be given $3,572 each and even those (citizens) born until February 1, 2011 will be eligible for the state’s generous one-off gesture.
The news agency said the cash package totals $4bn and additional amounts are to be spent on providing free food for 14 months in a row to its citizens. The gesture is to mark the country’s 50th independence anniversary.
But just as reports trickled in from Kuwait, social websites in Qatar started buzzing with a number of Qatari nationals posting comments, saying they hoped a similar gesture from their government. Some commentators said that since Qatar was a wealthier nation and citizens accounted for a small population, the government should announce a similar or even more attractive ‘gift package’ for its people in the form of free food and some cash.
But some argued that unlike Kuwait, where nationals were required to pay for power, and where water and fuel were expensive, Qatari citizens enjoyed free utilities and cheaper fuel at the state’s expense, so there was no justification in the demand for a Kuwait-like package.
“If the state gifts you QR20,000 once and makes you pay for electricity and water consumption every month, would you agree,” asked a commentator.
“Qatar is better (than many of its GCC peers),” said another commentator, citing the above reasons. Qatar and Saudi Arabia are the only GCC states where fuel is cheaper as compared to other countries in the region.
There were others, though, who said if not to all Qatari citizens the state should at least provide some succour to low-income families who are living off meagre monthly state dole.
“We are living a much better life here under the Emir,” commented another social website visitor.
Some said that even though their salaries were high, their resources got exhausted by the middle of the month since rents and food prices were ‘skyrocketing’.
“To make ends meet we have to travel to the nearby Saudi city of Hassa to buy household provisions every month,” said yet another commentator.
This newspaper sought comments on the issue from Sheikha Al Jefairi, the lone woman member of the Central Municipal Council (CMC), and Dr Moza Al Malki, a prominent Qatari woman psychologist.
Both hailed the decision of the Kuwaiti ruler with Al Jefairi saying that she is a retired university professor and knew too well how hard it was to survive on meagre pension amidst rising costs. “The government must pay special attention to retired professors and teachers,” she said.
“Qatar has immense wealth so all its citizens indeed need such a gesture from the state,” she added. Al Malki, while congratulating the people of Kuwait, said: “We have immense faith in the Emir.”
She said she hoped such an initiative should be coming from the Qatari government. The Peninsula